Being Witched
by hbrackett
Summary: Valentine's Day goes awry when a man-hungry witch meets a socially awkward werewolf.  Sparks fly as a vampire/witch war starts brewing, and the three flatmates have to choose which side they are on.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story did not go anywhere I intended it to. After you read it, see if you recognize the three new characters who were one-shot guests on another werewolf-related TV show. Message me if you can't figure it out.

The day that changed their lives (well, one of the days that changed their lives) turned out to be a Thursday, and a wet and rainy one at that.

"Bloody Valentine's Day. I hate this holiday; I'm always single when it comes round, and I have to see these disgustingly happy couples and their vulgar displays of affection. What do I get? I'll be spending the evening with the only other being that's stuck with me for more than a year: the wolf. We're going to spend a romantic evening in the hospital basement, smashing up the place." George was in a rare mood this morning, as seen by the sparkling cleanliness of their usually untidy flat. He'd gotten started at about six that morning and showed no signs of stopping. Between the Hoovering, the floor scrubbing, the washing up and doing all of their laundry, Mitchell seriously thought that Dirt itself might just give up on their place and move on to somewhere more promising. George whirled about the living room like a dervish armed with a feather duster and a facial mask, which left his words muffled but (unfortunately) still understandable.

"And look at this! A record breaking 113 Valentine's Day cards sent to John Mitchell!"

Mitchell had tossed most of them carelessly aside, saying that at least 98 of them were from old girlfriends who had never gotten over him, and the rest were from new girlfriends he hadn't gotten round to dumping yet.

"Three for Annie, who has been dead for a year. Guess they haven't heard!"

Annie looked at George sourly, startled from the pleasant memories of those old boyfriends from college who were indeed unaware that she had passed on.

"And none for George! Not one from his lovely ex-fiancee Julia Beckett, nor from his recent conquest, Nina Pickering. Although, she is also looking forward to a very furry evening, so I guess I don't blame her."

"George, for the millionth time, if you want some companionship, go out and get some! You aren't hideous to look at unless you're wearing one of those awful shirts you seem to fancy, and there's no reason you couldn't have your pick of the girls…or boys for that matter." Said Mitchell.

Annie snickered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" screamed George in a high falsetto.

"Just that, you know, you have some…feminine traits."

"WHAT FEMININE TRAITS?"

Mitchell was saved from answering by the doorbell, which chose that moment to utter its harsh buzz. He fled to answer it just as George was trying to figure out how to turn the feather duster into a lethal anti-vampire weapon.

It was the postman.

"Letter for George Sands! I'll need his signature." Mitchell signed it absently and shut the door, handing the letter off to George.

"That's illegal, you know. We could go to jail for that sort of thing." George pointed out.

"Vampires don't go to jail, George. Just werewolves. There'd be no lack of companionship there; why, they'd be fighting themselves over who got to kiss that pretty mouth of yours."

Annie laughed out loud, then retreated up to her room with a 'pop' as George seemed to have an apoplectic fit.

George's skin was beet red, and a vein was throbbing warningly from the center of his forehead when he suddenly breathed deeply, and just let it go.

"You know, I realize now that you bait me just to make yourself feel more secure."

Mitchell grabbed George's letter and tore it open, since he seemed to have no intention of doing so himself.

"That's amazing." Said Mitchell.

"Why, because it shows self-awareness?" George looked smug.

"No, because you've been fired."

"WHAT?"

Forty minutes later…

"Nothing to do with you personally, Mr. Sands. The hospital is cutting back, and we had a surplus of porters." Said Mr. Smithers in Human Resources.

"But John Mitchell still has his job!" George shrieked.

"He's been around longer than you."

"That's for damn sure."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing."

The door slammed closed behind George.

On the way back to the flat, George passed a new pizza restaurant that had sprung up overnight.

"Three Gals From Salem Pub & Pizza. Funny name for a restaurant."

There was a big 'Help Wanted' sign in the window with the words 'Female Preferred' written underneath.

George debated for about five minutes, then grabbed the sign and went inside.

It was very crowded, and George could see at once why they needed help. The 'three gals' were the cashier, the cook and the single waitress who was rushing around trying to serve every customer at once. The cashier had an air of authority, so George approached her with the sign.

"You're not a woman." She said brusquely.

"You're the first person today to reach that conclusion." George said sourly.

"Can you wash dishes?" she asked.

"Um, yes." He had really been hoping to do the cooking, but he was desperate at this point.

"You're hired. Kitchens that way." She threw a white apron at him and waved him off.

George entered the kitchen and saw a veritable mountain of dishes and pie trays and pint glasses waiting for someone to clean them.

George closed his eyes, thought fiercely of his Valentine's Day woes, and set grimly to work.

The dishes didn't have a chance.

The hours seemed to pass very quickly. Whenever Penny (the blond waitress, and youngest of the three) came in with a tray of dirty dishes, looking mortified at the workload she was adding to, George gave her a smile and cheerfully dumped the dishes into a boiling hot sudsy sink. After a while, she began to smile back, seeing that he was actually making headway through the endless pile. Soon, George began meeting her at the door and grabbing the entire tray so she didn't have to lug it all the way to the sink. During one of these moments, George let his hand stay on top of hers for a fraction of a second longer than it needed to. Penny blushed, and George wondered if Mitchell would be proud of him. Granted, this was certainly not how Mitchell operated (Mitchell never hit on anyone while wearing an apron - actually, Mitchell never wore an apron), but George thought he was doing pretty well.

They began exchanging little jokes or comments at the customer's expense. George did funny impressions of the more eccentric ones, and Penny would sometimes scream with laughter. Amanda, the brunette chef, rolled her eyes and ignored them both while she tried to meet the demands of their ravenous clientele.

When the dishes were almost getting washed faster than they were arriving, George began to do a bit of rearranging of the kitchen supplies. Amanda would have growled at him to leave well enough alone, but she began discovering that things she needed were always within hands reach when he was done, as if he could anticipate what she would want next. If she were busy making a pie and the tomato sauce needed to be stirred, he went and did it without breaking stride. On three occasions, George added ingredients she had forgotten to put in while she was frantically throwing together some salads (who went to a pizza place for a salad?). He almost seemed able to smell what the sauce needed, but that was ridiculous.

Kate, the auburn haired cashier/hostess (only a few strands of gray gave an indication of her true age) also watched George with growing fascination. They had been through a string of dishwashers lately, and none of them had worked out. With George, she didn't even have to ask him to check the men's room to keep it stocked and cleaned, he did it on his own every hour. And he never forgot to wash his hands!

At closing time, the three women inspected George's kitchen with amazement, while he finished mopping. Not only was everything clean, but the entire kitchen had been reorganized to make the best use of space. The women exclaimed over the neatly arranged spice racks (alphabetical order), the perishables in the giant fridge (arranged by expiration date) and the gleaming chrome that winked at them from every surface. Only George himself looked in disarray, with his previously white apron soaking wet and dark with grime.

"You - you aren't human!" said Penny.

George's proud smile slipped a notch before he realized it was a sort of compliment.

"My mother trained me well." He said.

"We normally don't like to work with men, but you are as good as any woman I've ever met!" said Amanda.

"Um, thanks." The smile slipped a few more notches.

"The only way you are leaving this job is in a pine box." marveled Kate.

"Does this mean I can stay? I really need this job."

"Just try to escape!" all three said at once.

"Excellent, I can also cook very well, and there are a few things I can add to the menu."

"Thank the Goddess. I can get Amanda out on the floor then to help Penny out, and leave you back here. Are you sure you can handle it?" asked Kate.

George nodded.

"Good. I don't believe in taking advantage of employees, so you'll get competitive pay if you can keep up this kind of work. Anything I should know about you that will make me regret hiring you? Pardon me for saying, but you seem too good to be true."

"No, noth-" George looked at his watch and screamed.

He looked down at himself and did a little dance as he checked himself out for emerging fur, claws and fangs. He should have started transforming about twenty minutes ago.

The three women watched him warily.

"What on earth was that?" asked Kate.

"Um, I've forgotten to call my mother for Valentine's Day." George said nonsensically.

"You call your MOTHER for Valentine's Day?" asked Penny.

"Well, a boy's best friend is his mother." George opined, remembering at the last minute that Norman Bates had once said that.

"Right. Well, we're going to close up for tonight, but we'll see you bright and early tomorrow. Then you can show us if you can cook and clean at the same time. Until I get you on the payroll, I'll pay you under the table." Kate handed George a fripping great wodge of cash, then she left with Amanda to deposit the days earnings at the night drop box at the bank. George noticed many of the bills were crumpled, as if hastily shoved into a pocket.

"Blimey. I'm not sure I deserve all of this."

Penny smiled. "I added my tip money to it. I told Kate you deserved it for everything you did. It's well worth it if you stick around. You really saved us today."

George counted back half the money and insisted Penny take it.

"On one condition." She said. "You have to take me to a movie tomorrow night."

George's eyes widened, and he blushed furiously.

"Um, that would be lovely." No transformation? A date on Valentine's (well, the day after, but close enough)? What had gone wrong with the world?

"It's a date then. At least I know you won't stand me up like the last guy I went out with."

George smiled uncertainly.

"He'd have to be a fool to do that."

Penny looked over at a large fish tank that contained a single goldfish.

"Oh, he's something all right.

Stepping outside, he looked up to see that the moon was very busy being eclipsed. It was like a werewolf holiday. Penny was busy locking up, when George noticed three unsavory types across the street. They were nudging each other and looking over at the two of them. George didn't like the looks they were getting, and he didn't need to note the scorched black eyes to guess he and Penny might be in big trouble.

"Penny, this might be a bit forward, but would you mind if I walked you home? You know how the streets at night could be." George reached into his shirt and pulled out his Star of David. Seeing they'd been made, the three vamps went in search of easier prey. George breathed a sigh of relief before guiltily realizing that someone else would be their dinner as a consequence. He felt a thin fury, and hoped that if God were watching, those vamps would get what was coming to them. At least he could protect Penny.

She looked absurdly pleased at his suggestion, and they walked along at a leisurely pace. Penny noted the Star of David.

"So, you're Jewish?" she asked, then realized it must be a silly question.

"Um, yes, though I don't really practice."  
Penny pulled out her own necklace. Her star had five points.

"I practice my religion all the time. So do my sisters."

"The only thing I still have left over is the guilt." George said, chuckling.

Penny took George's arm and snuggled close. It was very chilly this evening, and George once again thanked the gods for his night off. Last thing he needed was to be waking up in the freezing cold tomorrow morning.

"So, you're single, I take it?" asked Penny.

"Not as many girls are into a guy that cooks and cleans better than they do. But yes, I'm painfully single. I've only had two relationships, and they both ended rather suddenly. I was the 'dumped' one both times, in case you're wondering."

"I was too polite to ask. Thank you for being honest with me. I hate liars."

Looking up at the moon again, George shuddered.

"Don't worry about me, I'm an open book."

The three hunting vampires, in a stroke of very rotten luck, managed to run into Kate and Amanda who were heading back to the home they shared with Penny. When the vamps tried to attack, Kate (looking mildly irritated) muttered "_Rega Flexis Mur_" under her breath.

There was a flash and a minor sonic boom. A few seconds later, three tiny bats flew away into the night screeching in outrage.

"What is _with_ all the vampires in this town? Is there a convention?" Amanda complained.

"Ha! Remember the she-wolf that screwed us over in L.A.? Vamps I can deal with. But werewolves _really_ piss me off!"


	2. Chapter 2

George arrived home to find a frantic Mitchell and Annie waiting for him. Seeing him still in his human shape, they were really confused until George told them about the eclipse.

"A month off! That's such good news!" said Annie, giving him a hug.

When George told them about his day, Mitchell clapped him on the back.

"A new job and you made a date? Guess they can't keep a good man down! Brilliant! When do we get to meet her?"

"You guys should come by tomorrow night. Or at least you Mitchell, after all, no one can see Annie these days." As the words left his traitor mouth, George wished he could have taken them back. As he consulted his inner guidebook on women (admittedly more of a pamphlet) he decided that it would be a coin toss between rage and tears, with a slight chance of both. Mitchell fled the room after a horrified look at Annie.

It was rage.

"Oh, well done George. Very sensitive of you. As if I have any control over this! You know, I've been meaning to give you a piece of my mind – "

An hour later, he was dismissed and allowed to fall onto his bed after barely managing to get the soggy apron untied (he forgot to take it off and walked home like that) and get undressed. He was asleep in seconds.

George knew something was wrong the moment he woke up. The wolf was inside him. Denied its night of rage, George knew from experience that it would spend the day with him, coloring his thoughts and impulses, trembling on the outer edge of his control and waiting for a chance to blow sky high at someone.

And he was supposed to take Penny to the movies, after demonstrating to his new bosses why he was indispensable.

"Why does this always happen to me?" he roared.

After thoroughly demolishing his room, he felt he had vented enough to be safe in public.

Mitchell and Annie quickly figured out what was going on when they heard him raging, and had both left for greener pastures. George stalked to work, a thunderous scowl on his face.

At the restaurant…

"Penny, don't you think it's too soon to make a move on our newest employee? I meant to have a word with you yesterday, especially seeing as how you're on the rebound (Kate looked at the goldfish) and I don't want to lose this guy. Besides, I'm more than half convinced he secretly prefers gentlemen. Not that I care about that, but I don't want to see you get hurt."

Penny looked shocked.

"George definitely is interested in me. Just because he is fantastic in the kitchen doesn't mean anything. You're stereotyping! That would be like saying we should have green skin and warts!"

"Penny! There's no need to be rude. I'm just surprised, I didn't think you went for the nice guys. No offense, you usually attract jerks. You always had it for guys that were…I don't know. Tough guys, all macho and stuff."

A harsh voice startled the three of them.

"Hello! Is there any chance of you birds OPENING any time soon? Or are you so rich, you don't need customers anymore?" The guy was one of those obnoxious gym bunnies Penny usually went for. He wore a muscle shirt despite the cold weather, and his hair was so gelled down it didn't stir at all in the wind.

Kate sighed and opened the door.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I didn't realize the time. Please have a seat."

Amanda went around turning on the lights. She smirked, reasonably sure this guy might get a "special" pizza if he continued to be obnoxious.

George walked in, gave the women a tight smile, and began to head into the back.

Penny quickly worked out he was feeling moody, and George gritted out an apology in advance, saying that he was subject to mood swings about once a month.

Kate and Amanda exchanged knowing looks, smirking.

Penny frowned, thinking he was making a joke in poor taste, and George wanted to scream his frustration at her that he was not bloody joking about having a period or any other feminine traits. He held himself back, his pulse racing in his ears. Penny came over and put her hands on the sides of his head, humming slightly.

Unbelievably, the wolf pulled back a bit, and George was able to get a firmer control over his inner turmoil. This was a dangerous game however; it could come roaring back at the slightest provocation.

"Um, thanks for that, whatever you did. That feels much better."

George began to set up in the kitchen, and he filled the customer's order along with a complimentary side of garlic bread for his inconvenience. Immersing himself in the days tasks, he lost track of time until about half an hour later when he heard raised voices through the pick-up window.

In the dining area, the customer had just been given his check, when he noticed that Penny had accidentally added the garlic bread onto the bill.

"What is this? You give me free garlic bread and then charge me for it?" he shouted from his chair.

The three women turned, exchanged a grim glance (they had had more than enough), and rolled up their sleeves to give him a three-for-one special.

They never got the chance.

George was there, his skin beet red with fury.

"It is impolite to speak to ladies in such a tone." He said, enunciating every syllable. George's fists were clenched so hard, every vein stood out like a cable. The customer, easily a head taller than George and a much more frequent visitor to the local gym responded scornfully.

"Then do something about it, four-eyes."

All three women backed off, wondering how much furniture was going to get broken. George turned toward the front door and stalked toward it almost as if he had forgotten the customer was there. In passing, he reached one hand over and grabbed the guy suddenly by the neck and yanked him out of the chair as easily as if he were a stuffed toy. Still focused on the door, and completely ignoring the fifteen-stone bodybuilder dangling from one hand, George barged outside and heaved the lout over a parked car into the cobblestone street, where a passing constable's mount had just left a steaming cushion for him to land on. After giving him a double "V", George reveled in the wolf's approval, and breathed deeply as it pulled back once more.

Back inside, all three women were looking at him in amazement.

"Sorry. My temper gets the best of me sometimes, especially when people are rude to ladies. I hope that wasn't bad for business."

Penny looked as if she might swoon, and even Amanda was reassessing him…and was her face a bit flushed?

Only Kate remained cool, although her voice was slightly more throaty than usual.

"Not at all. It's nice to see that we can rely on you to defend our honor when customers get out of hand. That was a rather impressive display of chivalry. I thought it was dead."

George grinned, relieved.

"Well, I think we met the guy that killed it. Good riddance on him then."

After George went back to the kitchen, the women went to the large front window to view the gym bunny cleaning himself off in a towering rage.

He looked like he might storm back in, so they briefly chanted in unison from a language long dead.

The newly transformed rabbit looked around, bewildered, before being attacked by stray dog. It was over in about ten seconds.

"Oh, I wanted to keep him!" wailed Penny.

"You've got a real man to occupy your time. Can't say I'm not jealous!" said Kate.

"Did you see that? That was unbelievable! He doesn't look that strong! Magic is fun, but it's nice to see a good old fashioned arse-kicking once in a while!" said Amanda.

"Ooooh, I really want this one! Wish me luck, girls!" said Penny.

Mitchell and Annie showed up at half-past seven. Annie sat there looking bored while Mitchell ordered a huge messy pizza for himself. He told Penny he was George's roommate, and she responded that it was on the house.

"And who's your lady friend?" asked Penny, looking at Annie.

Annie's gaze snapped to focus on her.

"What?" she asked.

"I asked who you were. Are you a friend of George's too?" Penny was confused at the unbelieving look Annie was giving her. Mitchell's eyes were round.

"Um…this is Annie. She lives with us too."

Penny's eyes went flat, and Mitchell cursed himself. This must be George's new squeeze, and he hadn't told her about Annie. Why would he? He never thought she'd be able to see her.

"George didn't mention you. Either of you, that is."

George approached, having spotted Mitchell.

"Hey! Glad you could make it. Penny, this is Mitchell."

"We met. Your roommate Annie as well." Penny looked highly suspicious.

"Oh, you told her about Annie?" he asked, his voice high and light.

Mitchell put his head into his hands.

"George, she's sitting right here!" said Penny, now confused as well as suspicious.

"I meant to ask 'have you told Penny that Annie and I are like sisters – I mean brother and sister, because that's how we look at each other'." Stammered George.

Annie chimed in.

"Yes, that's how we are. George has been there for me through all the grief this big lug of mine-" (here Annie put her arms around a startled Mitchell) "has given me through the years. George is our greatest friend."

"Oh." Penny said, looking relieved.

Mitchell and Annie sent a silent prayer of thanks skyward.

"Now for that pizza." Said Penny smiling and handing the order off to George.

Kate and Amanda were watching this interchange from the sidelines. Amanda gave a warning glance to Kate, who shook her head. Kate, as the eldest, had abilities the other two often forgot about. Concentrating hard, she examined George's two roommates, and gasped aloud.

"Goddess protect us!" she said. Amanda and Penny rushed over.

"Whats going on!" they asked.

"George's roommates are dead. BOTH of them! She's a ghost, he's a vampire!"

Penny and Amanda whistled softly. That explained George's weird behavior. He expected Penny wouldn't be able to see Annie.

"How come we didn't pick up on it?" they asked.

"The ghost is very powerful, she's solid when she wants to be; makes it hard to tell. Same thing with the vamp; he's been off the blood for a while. You have to concentrate to see it now."  
Penny looked stricken.

"I'm almost afraid to ask about George."

The three turned to stare through the pick-up window at their helper. Their magically enhanced vision showed them a wolf in an apron and hairnet cheerfully spinning pizza dough in the air. It waved at them, and the pizza dough promptly draped itself over the wolf's head. The customers roared with laughter.

"Bollocks!" the three restaurateurs said together.

"There was a full moon last night!" said Penny.

"An _eclipsed_ full moon. Hence that muscle bound idiot getting thrown out on his ear. George must have been ready to explode."

Amanda was still trying to assimilate all of this.

"How did they wind up living together? It's like the makings of a sit-com, or a horror-drama on BBC3!"

"There was a time when being supernatural was like you were unique! We are just part of the _scenery_ here! Why didn't George tell me about this?" Penny wailed.

Amanda looked at her.

"Um, you have only known him two days, right? And you haven't exactly come clean yourself. Give him a chance. Maybe he doesn't want to frighten you away."

Penny nodded.

"You're right. And I guess I have no reason to be jealous of a ghost. It's not like they can – "

A frantic dinging caught their attention. George was up to his ears in pizza. The girls rushed off to serve the customers.

Kate shook her head.

"Why did he have to be a werewolf?"

At the close of business, Penny and George walked to the movie theatre for their date.

George looked pained, and Penny asked him what was wrong.

"You know how you said you hated liars? Annie and Mitchell aren't dating. They said that so you wouldn't get upset. Annie is really just a good friend who we share the flat with. And there is no chance of anything happening relationship-wise between she and I."

Penny smiled.

"I know that. And thank you for being honest with me."

George looked even more agonized.

"There's something else. Something about me you should know…"

"You're a Scorpio."

George blinked.

"How did you know that?"

"Scorpios are Water signs, just like Cancer and Pisces. It was a one out of three shot. Werewolves are always Water signs."

Now George stopped dead in his tracks.

"How on earth did you know _that_? Am I that obvious?" he asked.

Penny shook her head.

"No, but I can tell. I'm a witch. All three of us are. We know about your roommates too."

George sat down on the sidewalk curb and stared straight ahead at nothing.

"I should be relieved. Instead, I feel like this is just another chapter in some demented writer's narrative of my life."

Penny sat down beside him.

"I know what's bothering you, I felt this way when I realized what you were. You thought 'Why can I never meet a 'normal' girl?'"

George was horrified that she had seen so clearly into his head.

"George, I liked you before I knew. You liked me before you knew. So, we're different. Did either of us really expect to find normal partners who would accept us for who we are? It doesn't matter. We both have feelings, human feelings, even if we aren't human. And being human is no great triumph, you just take it for granted. We're lucky that way. We get to appreciate what we're missing. Now do you want to see this movie or not?"

George stood up and drew Penny to her feet and pulled her into a surprisingly fierce hug.

"It's a double feature. 'An American Werewolf in Prague' and 'The Return of the Witches of Eastwick'.

"You're joking!" said Penny.

"I never joke about horror movies."

"All of the reviews said these movies are rubbish." Penny remarked.

George took her hand and led her into the theatre.

"And what makes you think we'll be paying any attention to them?"

George bought their tickets as well as an enormous bucket of popcorn and two sodas. They practically had the theatre to themselves, and spent the time laughing at the ridiculous situations the characters managed to get themselves caught up in.


	3. Chapter 3

Herrick was more serious than Mitchell had ever seen him.

"We've got a major problem."

Mitchell sighed and rolled his eyes.

"No, Herrick, you've got a serious problem. Whatever threat to your vision of a vampire armageddon you currently face is _your_ problem. I want no part of it."

Herrick stood up and faced Mitchell squarely.

"There are _witches_ in Bristol. An old and powerful coven. They make a habit of transforming anyone that crosses them into animals, plants, fish and whatnot. Three of my men are now currently small bats up in the rafters. Attacks on vampires will not be tolerated!"

"Apparently, neither will attacks on witches." Said Mitchell, smirking. It was amazing how predatory Herrick could be, but got upset when anything else hunted _them_.

"You just said they do it to anyone that crosses them. So don't cross them! You'd be surprised how easy it is to live your own life when you let others do the same."

Herrick shook his head.

"They are dangerous, and a threat to my power. You, Mitchell, will find some way of breaking that power. Then they will be dealt with for their crimes."  
"I'm not your bloody enforcer. Take care of it yourself! Big bad Herrick doesn't want to get his hands dirty? Or are you afraid of joining your mates on nighttime mosquito hunts?"

Herrick smiled, and Mitchell groaned inwardly. This conversation would never be happening unless Herrick had something to make Mitchell cooperate.

"Your dog has been dating the youngest of the three."

The penny dropped.

"The witches are the _pizza women_?"

Herrick nodded.

"What do you think might happen to George if he cancels a date? Forgets a birthday or anniversary? Looks at another young woman?"

"You don't know George. He would never do any of those things." Mitchell pointed out.

"What if she finds out what he truly is? He might get turned into something far less interesting than a wolf. A cockroach, perhaps." Herrick patted Mitchell on the shoulder. "I know you'll take care of this. You are always so dependable to your friends."

Penny and George arrived to work together the next morning, having spent the evening in a sleeping bag on top of Mitchell's car parked at Lover's Point. They had gotten an early breakfast, and were both sipping from huge coffee cups.

Amanda and Kate stood there with their arms folded, looking thunderous.

"Where were you last night, young lady?" said Kate.

"We were worried sick! We had no idea what happened!" shouted Amanda.

"You should have checked the crystal ball." Said Penny.

George wondered if that was a joke.

"And for another thing, I'm three hundred years old and can take care of myself!"

George sprayed coffee everywhere.

Despite the tension, all three women burst into laughter at George's shock and the mood was broken. Excusing himself, he went into the back to clean up.

"He took that well." Smirked Amanda.

"Girls, don't be mad or angry with me. I know I've said this before, but I really think he might be The One. We spent the whole night looking up at the stars, just talking. Well, mostly talking." Penny blushed. "He told me everything, on his own, and he knows about us. He's okay with it! This is absolutely the furthest I've ever gotten with a guy, and it's only been a few days!"

The two older women hugged their younger sister, and murmured congratulations. All three got teary eyed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think you have yourself a keeper. I never thought I'd see the day when I approved of someone you were dating!" sniffled Kate.

"You owe me ten quid." Said Amanda.

Kate nodded and dug in her purse for the money.

"You guys BET on whether it would work out with George!" said Penny indignantly.

"Oh, stop it. You get a great boyfriend. Let us have what little fun we can get on the sides." Amanda pocketed her winnings.

"Why don't the two of you ever date? You can't be that jaded. And it's not like you haven't had offers."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm way too old to fall for the crap guys lay on you when they want to get you in bed. I didn't fall for those lines when they were actually original. I just can't help but see through them, and I lose interest. This guy is the most sincere chap I've seen in quite a few decades, however."

"Men. Who needs them? With the exception of your new love, I never met one who was of any use. Too bad George doesn't have a twin brother." Said Amanda. "It _is_ sexy that he knows his way around the kitchen. Think we can get him to clean it wearing _just_ the apron?"

Penny shrieked and threw some napkins at Amanda.

George peeked out through the pick-up window and smiled uncertainly at the three cackling witches.

Mitchell came in that afternoon after the lunch rush had petered out. George was scrubbing out the enormous crock pot the pizza sauce cooked in, whistling as he directed a high power water spray all around the inside.

Mitchell nodded at the women who were conferring together about something. He motioned his intention to enter the kitchen, and they gave him a long look before waving him through.

Mitchell recognized that look. They knew what he was, which meant they knew about George and Annie as well.

After Mitchell had entered, Kate made a complicated gesture in the air. This minor bit of magic allowed them to hear everything being said as though on an intercom. The three witches listened intently.

"George. Put down that pot. We have big trouble." Mitchell tried not to look irritated at how happy George seemed to be.

"All right, what's up."

"You do realize that these birds are witches?" Mitchell waited to see what this bombshell would do to George.

"I don't care what her religion is. She knows that I'm Jewish."

Outside, Amanda put her hands to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Not _Wiccan_, George. Witches! As in turning people into frogs!"

"And I turn myself into a wolf. What's your point? I'm done with self-loathing Mitchell. I'll never be human again, and I've found someone who cares for me just the same. As for Penny being a witch, who am I to judge anyone? I seem to remember getting beaten near to death by Seth and his cronies, but that didn't make me hate all vampires. _You're_ my best mate. Vampires have hated werewolves for centuries, and it's just that sort of prejudice I'd like to avoid."

Outside, Penny turned white with rage. How _dare_ they lay a hand on George?

"You don't understand. Herrick and the other vampires feel threatened. They sent me to find out where their power comes from and destroy it so they can kill them. I came here to warn you. Herrick also mentioned that you were in danger; when these birds get crossed, the fellow doesn't get a second opportunity if you know what I mean. They turned three vamps into _bats_ the other night."

Now George was angry.

"Serves them right. You tell Herrick to stay away from Penny and the girls or he'll have _me_ to deal with."

All three women, even the jaded Kate, blushed at this protective oath from their dishwasher.

"And another thing. Penny and I like each other a great deal. She'd _never_ do anything to hurt me. I can tell that every time she looks at me. I trust her completely. And I think I'm falling in love with her. At this rate, I'll ask her to marry me before too long, if she'd have me."

Penny thought she might faint. Tears shimmered in her eyes. Kate and Amanda gasped and covered their mouths with their hands, their eyes wide. This was completely unexpected.

"George, I'm only worried about you. The vampires are going to do something, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I would love to know how in blazes you keep getting into these fixes. Some immensely powerful being has it in for you, that's for sure."

"I can take care of myself, Mitchell. I'm not the scared and weedy little runt you found in that alleyway. Thank you for warning me; I'll set my own course from here. I'm assuming you won't be following through on Herrick's request?"

Mitchell looked shocked.

"Of course not! How can you say such a thing!"

"Sorry, just checking. I think I ought to go see him myself."

"George, that would be stupid. Herrick would kill you as soon as look at you! Let me take care of it!" begged Mitchell.

The witches closed off the connection and looked at each other.

"Actually, I think _we_ had better take care of it." Said Penny. Her sisters nodded grimly.

George walked quickly away from the pizza parlor toward the funeral home on his break; he would have a word with Herrick, and then if he had time, he wanted to pick out some new clothes now that his cash flow was stabilized once more. There was this lovely purple and pink polka-dot shirt on sale just down the street. He'd wanted it for weeks, but couldn't afford it. Luckily, no one else had snatched it up yet. Now, he was making three times what he was making at the hospital…and then there were the fringe benefits.

Thinking about Penny made him smile involuntarily. She was such a sweet girl, and she really seemed to like him as well. Hmmmm. George and Penny Sands. Then again, she might want to keep her maiden name, Warren. Penny Warren-Sands. Penny Sands-Warren. George Sands-Warren. George shook his head. They would have to work on the name thing. George fingered the necklace Penny had given him as he left, making him promise never to take it off. It was a silver chain, with a polished silver medallion representing the moon in both it's full and crescent phases. She said it was sacred to Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft and the Moon; a symbol of their relationship.

He tucked it back into his shirt where it lay cold on his chest, next to his Star of David.

Arriving at the funeral parlor, he let himself in and faced down Seth who was busy polishing the mahogany desk in the front.

"It's you, Digby. What the hell do you want? Mitchell's not here, so get lost before I house-break you."

"I want to see Herrick. Is he in?" George asked sternly.

Seth's eyes widened, then he grinned.

"Yes. He'd love to see you. Right this way."

Seth led George through several rooms and hallways until they reached the large room where corpses were taken for aspiration. Six other vampires stood there, and at Seth's command, they blocked all of the exits.

"Before we let Herrick see you, we're going to do you a favor and get rid of all of that nasty werewolf blood you have. You'll be much better off with formaldehyde. And you'll be cured! No more turning into a wolf…ever. Get him on the table boys!"

George yanked his necklace out of his shirt.

Seth laughed as his eyes turned black.

"Way too many of us here for that to work-aaaaaggghhhhh!" he screamed.

George looked down. He pulled out Penny's necklace by accident, and it seemed to be glowing with a pale blue fire. The vampires recoiled as the light intensified, and George went with it; holding it out in front of him and pushing the vampires back with it.

"Now that will teach you manners. Where's Herrick?" George demanded of Seth who was backed into a wall.

Instead of answering, Seth screamed loud enough to wake the dead before breaking apart into a cloud of fine white ash that drifted to the floor.

"Bollocks, that was unexpected." Said George, peering at the bright talisman.

He turned to the other vamps. They looked at him fearfully.

"Guess my girlfriend didn't want me to get hurt. Isn't she thoughtful?" George began to walk towards them, a stern look on his face.

"Take me to Herrick, please." He said.

"R-r-right this way, Sir." Babbled the largest vamp.

George never let go of the necklace, which continued to emit its high intensity glow. George passed a room from which the sounds of humans screaming could be heard through the closed door.

Waving at the vamp to open it up, he saw six or seven people in bloody clothing with bandages covering their necks and arms. They were moaning in pain and wall-eyed with fear.

George was disgusted and horrified.

"You – you monsters!" he shouted at the vampires.

The necklace grew bright enough to blind him momentarily.

When the glow faded, there were six more piles of ash drifting to the floor. George went into the vampire's larder and began to help the victims to their feet. To his horror, the door slammed shut as he tried to lead them out, and Herrick's voice came from the other side.

"Nice of you to drop in, George. I'm rather upset with you for the loss of my men, but it's worth it to finally have you under lock and key. That necklace of yours won't be a lot of use to you stuck in there. Now I'm off to see what I can do to kill those three birds who have caused me so much trouble. Good day!"

George pounded on the door, and screamed until he was hoarse.

"Why isn't George back yet?" asked Penny. "You don't think he actually went to face off with those vampires, do you?"

Amanda clucked her tongue. "He certainly seems the type. Very brave, and very – "

"Don't say it. To the kitchen, girls." Said Penny.

They threw together a quick recipe, adding into the mix a few of George's hairs from his hairnet. The vision that appeared in the soupy mix showed him going to the funeral home, killing some vamps and being locked into the prison cell by Herrick.

"I knew it. The hero type. This is what always happens to them. He should have left well enough alone, but now we need to go rescue him. The lost profits are coming out of his pay!" Kate said severely.

The three women closed their eyes and said a silent prayer to their Goddess. They drew on reserves of power they had not needed for hundreds of years. A cloud of smoke enveloped them, and when it cleared, they were dressed in the traditional robes of the priestesses of their order. Penny wore white, Amanda red, and Kate in black. Maiden, Mother and Crone. The walls shook with the force of the chanting spell they began together.

"We call on the Furies. We call on the Graeae. We call on the Gorgons. We call on the Graces. We call on the Fates. We call on the Norns. We call on Gorgo, we call on Mormo, we call on Ereshkigal! We call on Lakshmi, we call on Isis, we call on Hecate! Three-face Woman. Hear us! Grant us the power to destroy our enemies! Let us cleanse the Earth of their foul presence! Hear us! HEAR US! _HEAR US!_"

Outside, clouds boiled up in the previously clear sky. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. The temperature, already chill, took a nose dive by about thirty degrees. A wind began to blow, howling as it built up in strength, seeming to wail at its own discomfort.

Inside the restaurant, the three looked at the small closet that contained the cleaning supplies. The door smacked itself open, and three incredibly ancient broomsticks swept themselves across the floor and into the outstretched hands of the witches. They stepped outside, their hair whipping wildly in the tempest, and their cackling laughter was lost to the wind as they mounted their brooms and soared into the sky.


	4. Chapter 4

Herrick noted the change in the weather, and for the first time in many hundreds of years felt the unpleasant tingle of fear running up his spine. He stalked through the corridors of the funeral parlor, barking orders at the dozens of vampires he had summoned from every corner of Bristol and the outlying area. This army of the undead (not a few of whom were recent 'converts', too naive to realize what they were up against) awaited the next command of their leader to see them to victory.

He wished that he had something in mind other than "Get them!"

He called over to him a fellow by the name Gedrick, nearly as old as Herrick himself; he had gone over to the New World with the colonists under the Mad King George only to return about 75 years later.

"You are the only one here that might have encountered these three in the dim past. Tell me everything you know about them, and quickly!"

Gedrick was paler than his undead condition could account for.

"It was during the time of the witch trials, back in Salem. Scores of women were hung, their bodies tossed into peat bogs. Midwives, harlots, elderly widows with sizable land holdings just waiting to be seized. All you had to do was accuse someone, and they were as good as dead. They'd be tortured until they 'confessed' their crimes, usually having sold their soul to the devil for unspecified powers that for some reason always failed to help them escape the noose. Erm, some fellow turned in his own mother _and_ his betrothed! He wanted to inherit sooner than nature was allowing, and he'd caught the eye of some lass he liked better, so he killed two birds with one stone. Get it? Killed two 'birds'? Women?"

Gedrick's smile faded at the flat stare Herrick was giving him.

"Anyway, they were up on the block and the hangman was about to pull the lever. Suddenly, he pulls the hood off. It's the redhead. She says to the others: 'Maiden! Mother! Pledge yourselves to me and the Goddess Hecate and you shall have your revenge on all of these!' The women were terrified, but they didn't know what else to do. The magistrates rushed the gallows and grabbed her, and one made to pull the lever on the trap door. The two condemned women both screamed 'We pledge ourselves to you and Hecate! Save us!' and..." Gedrick faltered.

"Yes, yes?" Herrick growled impatiently.

"And...there was a flash of lightning. The entire gallows exploded, everyone was thrown to the ground. When we looked up, the magistrates were in pieces everywhere. The gallows was gone, and all three women were...were floating in the air. They were laughing like madwomen. The eldest says 'United, our power is multiplied a hundred fold! Three as One, in the image of the Hecate, Queen of Crossroads, of the Moon and Witchcraft! Let us show these mortals what the power of women can really do!"

Gedrick took a deep breath and let it out shakily, the way a soldier does when remembering a battle that nearly claimed his life.

"I'd been turned for a year by that point, so I did the only thing I could think of. I played dead. The screams I was hearing, human screams...then a loud crackling noise. After that, it was something else. The bray of a donkey. The screech of a monkey. The squawk of a bird. They changed everyone in the village that witnessed their trial into some kind of animal. Eventually the laughter stopped, and I dared to open my eyes. It was like a bleeding zoo escape. Every animal you can think of...and a few that were never meant to walk the earth were wandering around, screaming in their animal voices for help. That's when I made up my mind to come back to Blighty."

Herrick was lost in thought.

"Hmmm. Their power is multiplied...image of Hecate..._Maiden_...I think I see a way out of this. Yes, I should have thought of this sooner. Go have a chat with the dog in his cage. Wave the white flag, tell him we will let him go if he agrees to cease all hostilities against us. If he agrees, let him out of his cage and send him up front, then go stay with the others. Stay away from him, he's got a charm that kills us quite easily."

Gedrick ran off to do as he was bid. Herrick told the other vampires to stay put in the garage while he met the witches out front. They seemed very impressed at his bravery. This wouldn't hurt their respect for him if the plan succeeded.

When George was brought up, he was as angry as Herrick had ever seen him. Both his Star of David and Hecate amulet were clutched in his hands. Herrick was immediately overcome with nausea at the two debilitating forces directed at him, one spiritual, one magical.

Herrick got down on his knees before George, a move which so stunned the werewolf, that he was at a loss for words.

"I deeply apologize for my treatment of you, and for any threats made against your lovely girlfriend and her two companions." he said humbly.

George noted the howling tempest outside, and smirked.

"My lady friends are upset, methinks. Letting out some vampire wee? Why shouldn't I let them have their way with you?" he asked.

"George, I realize my position. You are now in a unique situation. You have the leader of vampires at your beck and call. You can kill me. Or have the witches turn me into something ghastly. Or...you can let me live and have me command every vampire in Bristol to stop attacking humans and go on the wagon like your friend Mitchell."

George's eyes widened.

"You'd promise that? And no more converting people? No more vampire uprising? Just to save your own pathetic life, you'd give up everything you've dreamed of? I must say, this does rather shatter my image of you. Which is a good thing, believe me. Now that you know what fear of death is like, maybe you'll be a better person for it. I only wish I could make you feel guilt as well."

The door and front window blasted to smithereens, and the two supernatural men watched as the three supernatural women touched down lightly in the street outside. They stormed into the funeral parlor, each one generating a ball of fire in one hand which they poised to throw at Herrick - stopping only when they noticed George already in control of the situation.

Penny canceled her fireball and ran up to hug George.

"Darling! I was worried sick about you! I thought they'd captured you! How did you escape?"

George puffed out his chest.

"Well, Herrick realized he could never hope to defeat me. He's agreed to cease all hostilities in exchange for his life. He knows what will happen to him if he doesn't toe the line!"

Kate and Amanda were still puzzling this out.

"You got out of that cell, and cowed Herrick and his legion of vampires on your own? I guess you deserve a pay raise!" said Kate.

"I don't know. I still say we should wipe them all out. You can never trust vampires." said Amanda, looking down at Herrick forbiddingly.

"Oh, let them live. Herrick would never dare to cross George! Right, Furry-Face?" said Penny adoringly.

"That's right, Potato Blossom!" said George.

Herrick looked up for a moment, one eyebrow upraised in disbelief. He ducked his head back down again when Penny glanced severely at him. Even Kate and Amanda looked nauseated.

"Right, well that's settled. Ladies, let's be off. Hugh's Pub is having Karaoke Night, and I want to dazzle you all with my singing skills!" said George.

Penny clapped her hands excitedly, while Amanda and Kate looked like they were headed for the noose again.

The four walked out into the suddenly clear night. Herrick stood up, his expression unreadable. That had cost him more than he would ever be willing to admit to anyone. He had broken several personal codes of honor in the last few minutes, not the least of which was being forced to lie to overcome an enemy. 'And you will pay for that indignity, my little dog. You and your women. You will beg for a merciful death that will never come. But like Fate, to win this game, I need to play a long hand!' Herrick thought to himself.

He walked to the ruins of the front door and looked out up at the darkening sky. There was still one thing he would never figure out, no matter how many centuries he lived.

"Potato Blossom?" he said, bewildered.

George continued to work at the restaurant, and secretly began putting away a significant amount of money each week. This took much less time than it would have had he still been a porter at the hospital. Kate was true to her word and paid him a handsome wage for his cleaning and culinary miracles. George introduced several exotic Italian dishes to the menu, and business boomed as the locals pounced on each new dish with shark-like rapaciousness. The witches invested in an industrial sized dishwashing machine with a conveyor belt to free George up to do the cooking exclusively, though he still insisted on giving the kitchen a thorough scouring at the close of business. George and Penny went out every night, though they rarely stayed out late. They slept over each at each other's flats numerous times, though George always wore at least boxers and Penny her nightgown. George knew without needing to be told that Penny believed in marital intercourse only. He never pushed the issue, content to bury his face in her blond hair and dream about what it would be like to wake up next to this wonderful woman every day. To raise kids together...to grow old togeth- well, that likely wouldn't happen. That was for normal humans.

On nights when he transformed, Penny locked him in the greenhouse in the woods that Tully had shown him, magically sealing it and warding it against humans who might come to investigate. She let him out every morning after and shipped him home so he could shower before work. George once asked if he could be cured through witchcraft, and Penny bit her lip and said that yes, it was possible, but asked if he would mind remaining a werewolf as she was practically immortal and he would live much longer as a werewolf than as a human being. George nodded and said that it was best then to leave things be.

Annie and Mitchell came to the restaurant quite often, and Mitchell was never charged for pizza. One night, George had a private word with Kate and Amanda, after which they promptly began clanging triangles to get everyone's attention. George came out of the kitchen dressed handsomely in tan slacks and a dinner jacket though which only a few polka dots could be seen defacing the shirt beneath. He came over to Penny, who was standing beside Mitchell's table and dropped to one knee. There was a collective gasp from the entire restaurant as George produced a ring box, and opened it. The ring was a band of pure platinum, decorated with diamond chips designed to represent the moon in all of its lesser phases with the central diamond as the full.

"You're still wearing your hairnet!" hissed Mitchell.

George took it off with his free hand and tossed it over his shoulder. It landed on someone's pizza, but so caught up was everyone in the moment that no one noticed.

"Penny Warren. These past six months have been the happiest of my entire life. It makes everything that has come before have new meaning. Would you do me the greatest honor ever bestowed on an unworthy wretch who wants nothing more than to share the rest of his life with you? Will you marry me?" he asked.

Penny was crying and blushing furiously.

"Oh, you...George Sands...oh, my make-up is running. Goddess! Oh, yes, I'll marry you!"

Everyone cheered, George and Kate and Amanda the loudest of all.

"For the next hour, drinks are on the house!" shouted Kate. Annie and Mitchell hugged each other and pounded on the table. George stood up and led Penny to the front door where a horse and carriage awaited.

"Once around the park...and then um, we should probably get back to work." George said sheepishly.

Penny nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

They were married a month later, at Stonehenge, presided over by a rabbi in a traditional Jewish wedding. Mitchell was George's best man, while Kate and Amanda were Matrons of Honor. Annie cried through the whole ceremony, though only the supernaturals were aware of it. The biggest shock of all came when George went to pay the wedding organizer only to find that it had been paid for already.

When he asked who was responsible, he was given a note.

'Dear George. Please accept this as my wedding gift to you. As I am sure you will realize, sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for. Regards, Herrick.

George folded the note, and pondered what it could mean. He was very uneasy, and felt that this was the calm before the storm.

He had no idea how right he was.


	5. Chapter 5

The honeymoon was set for the week immediately following the wedding. Kate and Amanda took the opportunity to close the restaurant for renovations and wished the couple a happy journey. Penny took George on his first broomstick ride (he thought he would be terrified, but he seemed to have a natural knack for it) to Cardiff, Wales where George's great-uncle Dan had a small cottage that he'd left to him. Penny sent out a wave of magical force through the cottage, which had the effect of repairing all of the problems time and neglect had wrought on the place. George marveled at the new splendor of the furnishings and the overall cleanliness she'd achieved. There was nothing she could do about the lack of cell phone reception, however, without compromising a satellite with witchcraft. For a week, they would be out of touch with the world.

"Well, that was flashy." George opined.

"I'm just getting it out of my system. It's going to be hard doing without magic for a while." Penny complained.

George turned to her.

"What do you mean 'doing without magic'? Is there something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Well, I'm not going to be a 'Maiden' for very much longer." she said, blushing.

"Oh, Penny. Is that how it works? And you'd give all of that up for me? What about Kate and Amanda?" he asked, stunned at how readily she would give up that power just to be with him.

"Oh, well I'll get it back once I have my first child. Kate and Amanda will be pretty powerless for a while, though. Kate will move on and recruit two new coven members. Amanda will get bumped up to 'Crone' status (she won't like that!) with me as her 'Mother'. Then we will just have to find a new 'Maiden'. That's why we ran the business, so we would have something to fall back on when the magic is gone. And we run it without magic so it wouldn't be a big shock during the off time. Goddess! We have been together so long though, they never thought I would find the right man. We witches are pretty self-sufficient, but you need a man to turn a Maiden into a Mother!" Penny stopped talking when she saw the look on George's face.

"Penny, forgive me for asking this, but you did marry me because you like me, not for this promotion thingy?"

Penny would have been angry if anyone but George had asked that question. In other men, it would have indicated a vast egocentrism. She knew George better; he asked the question because deep down, he was convinced no one could possibly love him.

"Oh George, I would have married you even if it meant giving it up forever. Three hundred years, and I'm still a virgin! Until tonight. Until you. I could have done this any number of times with losers, and gotten rid of them after. I swore after my first boyfriend betrayed me that I would find myself the perfect man, the Prince in every girl's fairy tale dream."

"Did you ever think your fairy tale would be "Little Red Riding Hood?" asked George, smiling as he came and put his arms around her.

"Gramma, what big ears you have!" said Penny, tugging one.

"OK, no 'ear' jokes please. In fact, no joking about the size of _any _body part from now on!" he said sternly, swooping her up and carrying her into the bedroom.

They made love by candlelight, since on this night the moon had abandoned the stars to fend for themselves. George planned it this way, as he wanted to be _just_ George for this first time. George was not a virgin (though just barely), and he felt more confidence than ever before due to his greater experience. Penny cried out only once, though whether it was pain from losing her innocence or her witchcraft he would never know. They explored each other until the sun began to rise, and then fell deeply asleep. In the morning, Penny got up before George to bathe alone, while she pondered the new stage of her existence. After three hundred years of pure power running through her veins, she felt vastly alone, cut off from her Goddess and the world of magic she brought with her. Worse than that, she felt helpless, vulnerable. She had gambled everything on her new husband. If George turned into a monster now (the human kind), she would be unable to protect...or revenge herself.

She shook her head, guilty at such faithless thoughts. George was the one man she was meant for. He was worthy of her, alone of all men. And she had waited so long to find him. How did other women do it? Give away the one coin in their purse on a longshot at best? Three hundred years and an ocean away from her first love, she had found her last one. And she was still nervous.

She heard George rise from the bed and head into the kitchen. She smiled, he probably needed to go the bathroom, but knew she needed some time alone. Her faith in him crystallized once more into adamantine hardness. She finished up, putting on a fresh nightgown and a dash of her favorite fragrance.

She went into the kitchen to find George preparing breakfast...in just his apron. Well, his glasses and necklaces, too. Her eyes roved hungrily over his body, remembering the night they had just had. He turned, and he caught her expression, smiling while he transferred a perfect omelette onto her plate. Swiss cheese and mushrooms, her favorite.

"Now you can tell Amanda she got her wish, though only you get to see it." he said.

"You eavesdropped! Fiend!" She threw her napkin at him.

"You _have_ seen my ears, haven't you? And all werewolves have excellent hearing."

After breakfast, they returned to the bedroom to satisfy deeper hungers.

The week seemed to pass in the twinkling of an eye.

It was with great regret that the two left their honeymoon cottage behind, taking a hired taxi to Bristol. It was a good thing Penny had saved up a great deal of money over the years, George would never have been able to afford the fare. Their two small bags were in the back, Penny's dormant broomstick across her lap.

"The brooms aren't magic in and of themselves, any broom will do; flying comes from within us. But this broom was mine from my first mortal life. It reminds me of it when I think I might forget. It's the same with Kate and Amanda."

George pictured what a modern witch would ride; probably a Hoover.

They stopped by Penny's place first to drop off her things, then had the driver take them to the restaurant.

"Amanda and Kate must be there. They are such workaholics!" she exclaimed.

They looked at the burned out ruins of "Three Gals from Salem Pizza and Pub" with horror.

A passerby saw them looking at the wreckage.

"Oi! That place burned down four days ago. The police and firemen came, but they couldn't find none of the birds what run the place! 'Ere, ain't you one o' them miss?"

Penny was crying, but she was furious. George took the fellow aside, and told him that Penny was in shock as they had been out of town for a week and had no idea. The man whistled, patted George on the back and went on his way.

"This has got to be that ginger vampire, Herrick! Amanda was right! We should have wiped them all out!"

George remembered the note Herrick had given him. Neither he nor Penny had been able to figure it out, thinking it must be his way of assuring them he was still being a 'good boy'. Now they realized he must have planned for this all along.

"How on earth would Herrick know when to strike? Who else knows how witches' covens work?"

Penny shook her head, too overcome to speak for the moment.

George felt guilt wedge itself like a knife in his heart. This was all his fault, he had personally knocked out all of their power and left them defenseless with one night of passion. That old and terrible feeling came back, one that he'd thought was gone forever. The feeling that he was just never meant to be happy, that he was doomed to bring disaster on anyone he cared about.

The flow of his tears was hotter than he had ever felt, and his throat closed. They entered the ruins, and saw that the fire had been extremely thorough. Even the pots and chrome in the kitchen was burned beyond repair.

"This is all my fault. I brought this on you. I'm responsible. I'm like a plague. Everywhere I go, people I love get hurt. I don't deserve to be with you. I don't deserve to live - "

The smack caught him so unawares that he thought he must have been struck by lightning. He looked unbelievably at Penny who was rubbing her hand and radiating fury like a star going supernova.

"That's about enough wallowing in self-pity, husband. We have no time for it. Things need to be done, and sharp. _Herrick did this._ Now, I love my husband very dearly, and you will not slander his name. You've never in your life done anything to warrant beating yourself up over. I would love to meet the one who put such fancies in your head, there isn't a _name_ for what I would turn them into! You put that blame where it rightfully belongs; I plan to revenge myself on the ones truly responsible, so you better think twice about adding your name to that list!"

George stared at her, rubbing his cheek. He had never in his life been struck by a woman, especially not one he was in a relationship with. The pain, ironically, cleared a path through the self-loathing he had always felt and he saw himself for a moment the way Penny saw him.

"Penny, as my wife I'm going to request... no, demand! that you refrain from hitting me ever again." He looked down. "Unless I say something as incredibly stupid as what came out of my mouth a minute ago. Then have at me with everything you've got. I'm sorry. A lifetime habit is hard to overcome in a moment. But you are right. We have no time, and things need to be done. What's our first move?"

Penny smiled, then kissed his cheek (lightly) and thought to herself for a moment.

"We have to find out what happened to Kate and Amanda. The crystal ball should still be in the safe under the floor. It's fireproof."

Penny indicated where it was, and George moved quickly to move the debris out of the way. Under some loose floorboards, the safe was revealed to be untouched. Penny quickly spun the dial around and opened it, reaching in to pull out a glowing crystal about the size of a grapefruit. She pulled out a simple wooden ring, set the ball on it, and studied the depths of the cloudy glass.

"I thought you couldn't do magic anymore!" he hissed.

"Anything magical we've created retains its power, unless we are killed. Now give me a minute, I think I see something...Goddess! No!" Penny screamed.

"What is it?" asked George frantically. He saw nothing in the glass but swirling whiteness - George's blood froze as for a second, he thought he saw the wolf looking out at him, its malignant face frozen in a snarl of hunger and rage. Then it was gone.

"Kate and Amanda are in Herrick's human 'pantry'. The vampires have been feeding off them for days. They are barely alive. There are more vampires there than I have ever seen. They must be waiting for us to try something. We have _got_ to get in there!"

George's cell phone rang. He had just turned it on after getting out of the cab (the driver had let him use his car charger). He bleakly saw the message indicator which said his voice was full. Mitchell's cell # was on the display. George hit the TALK button.

"George! Is that you? Bloody hell man! Do you know whats happened? Where the hell are ya?"

"We're at the restaurant, or whats left of it." he said.

"Stay put, we'll be there in a moment."

A few seconds later, there was a loud pop, and Annie appeared holding a freezing cold Mitchell, and a shivering Nina.

"Sorry, Mitchell. That trip is especially rough on your lot. I told you to wear a warm jacket!" Annie scolded.

Penny was amazed.

"You teleported them? By yourself? Kate was right, you _are _powerful! And all the way from your flat too!"

Annie shrugged.

"I do what needs to be done. I didn't really think about NOT being able to do it."

"But who is this?" asked Penny, pointing at Nina.

George groaned. Why did they bring her?

Nina smiled coldly.

"You must be Penny, George's wife. Congratulations, I heard about the wedding. My invite must have been lost in the post. I'm Nina. George's ex...and I'm a werewolf."

Penny locked eyes with Nina, and was surprised to see a match for her own willfulness reflected in those eyes. Nina was strong, and definitely a predator. In these circumstances, Penny would need that strength on her side. Afterwards...who knew what might happen?

"A pleasure. I've heard many good things about you. George may have some flaws, but it seems he has excellent taste in women. I'm sorry about the wedding. I thought it would be awkward, and didn't want your feelings to be hurt." Penny said evenly.

George's eyes were round as he looked back and forth between the two women.

Nina looked startled, she had expected vicious rivalry from the word go. Penny smiled inwardly. Sometimes honey did work better than vinegar.

"Um, well yes. I suppose it would have been awkward. I would have declined, but sent a gift. George was...is a good man. You are very lucky." Nina's eyes began to mist, but she got control of herself quickly. She still had feelings for George, obviously. Getting turned into a werewolf must have devastated them, but love, like poison ivy, has a way of creeping back when even a tiny bit of it remains. Too bad for her she learned this truth a little late.

Mitchell had recovered from his trip through the in-between spaces.

"Ladies, George, we need a plan and we need it now. Any suggestions?"

"Oh, I have one." said all three women at once.

George shook his head, and he and Mitchell listened closely as the women plotted their next move.


	6. Chapter 6

"All right, that's settled. Any other commandments you need broken?" asked Pastor Mark sarcastically.

"None, thanks. You performed the blessing like we asked you?" Said Nina briskly. She was busy crumbling up the hundred Host wafers she had asked him to bring.

"Yes. Though it won't do any good unless there's a fire."

Nina held up a silver Zippo lighter.

"I see. Well, I'm off then. Good luck in your war. I expect to be canonized if this works."

After they had seen the priest home, the gang made their final preparations.

"You all have your lighters?" asked Nina.

They nodded.

"This bit is brilliant. You are a master strategist, Nina." Said Penny, sincerely.

"Thank you. You and your friends are important to George, and therefore important to me. I've never let down a friend in need in my life. Besides, these vampires have to be taught a lesson."

"But this will likely kill them!" said Mitchell.

"That's the lesson." said Nina Pickering, judge, jury and executioner.

Penny turned to Annie.

"Are you sure this other bit will work? These women may not be suitable. Being a witch requires a great deal of willpower. Hecate would reject someone she felt was unworthy; that's why it takes so long to reform covens sometimes."

"From my experience with her, I don't see that happening, at least with one of them." said Annie.

Annie's bit of the plan involved a quick phone call to someone Mitchell never expected to speak to again. The woman on the other end of the phone was very confused, but agreed to their request.

She arrived alone.

Mitchell came over and gave her a hug.

"Fleur. How are you?"

"Oh, how do you think? I have a twelve year old son who is a vampire, currently being watched by his two gay uncles who are completely unaware of what he is. I've been laid off from work, Bernie's been thrown out of school, all of my neighbors are suspicious of us, and now I'm to overcome more vampires with the help of you lot: The Monster Club. By becoming a bleeding witch!"

Mitchell nodded.

"Spicy as ever. Hecate wouldn't dare reject this one." Said Mitchell pointedly.

Penny nodded.

"Yes, I think she will be an excellent choice. Fleur is it? Here is the plan. When we find Amanda and Kate, depending on which one is in a suitable state, you are to tell her that you pledge yourself to her and to Hecate. Assuming we find the right Maiden to go along with it, you will be given a tremendous influx of magical power. We will likely need to use it very quickly. I'm useless until I've given birth, but I can coach you on how to use your power when you get it. You will get immortality into the bargain. Are you ready for this?"

Fleur nodded.

"Good. Now, Annie, who do you plan on recruiting as our Maiden? You said you had someone in mind."

"I'm seeing to that. But I wanted to ask you first, is there any way I could do it?

"But you're dead!" said the whole gang together.

Annie rolled her eyes. Why did people keep telling her that?

"And you're not a virgin!" said Mitchell.

"What makes you say that?" Annie said, glaring at him.

"OWEN! The love of your life! You never did the deed with him?" Mitchell shouted.

"Owen…had a little problem. Couldn't get the flag to more than half-mast. Why do you think he was so bloody angry all the time? Trust me when I say there is no doubt I qualify, again except for the 'dead' thing."

They looked at her; Fleur (pityingly), Penny (bewildered), Mitchell (shocked), George (blushing furiously), Nina (smirking).

"George led me to think he might have had that problem! Boy was I wrong!" said Nina.

She and Penny burst into laughter.

"I know! You'd never think what he's capable of, just looking at him…" Penny exclaimed.

George looked mortified.

"Um, when you are done gossiping about my admittedly ferocious sexual prowess, can we get on with things?"

"Some things happen once in a lifetime, George. Enjoy it." Mitchell advised.

"Well, here she is, one live virgin."

A slightly plump, greasy haired girl had arrived.

"Hello, I'm Cara." She said cheerily.

Penny, Nina and Mitchell looked at her, struck speechless.

"So, when do I get to be a witch? Imagine, little Cara with the Magic of Ages flowing through her! 10,000 years of – "

"Can it dearie." Said Penny. "Only Kate or Amanda can induct you into a coven." She smiled. "I imagine they'll be fighting each other over who gets you."

Cara's eyes were wide.

"Do you really think so?" she asked, the veiled insult going completely over her head.

"I know it." Said Penny.

"George said I needed to be a virgin when he called. It's a good thing I've been saving myself for marriage! How did you guys guess I was still pure?"

Mitchell suffered a sudden coughing fit, and had to leave the room.

"Goddess help me, in this my darkest hour." Said Penny under her breath.

George came over to her, and placed the amulet she had given him around her neck. Penny started to protest, but George silenced her with one of his patented glares.

"This is all pointless if anything happens to you. You are one of the primary targets, and you have no magic right now. I still have my Star of David. I'm counting on you to get out with Nina and Mitchell if the worst happens."

Penny nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

While the rest of the gang worked on getting in through the garage, George, Cara, Fleur and Annie broke through the front door with the help of Annie's poltergeist abilities. George held out his Star of David. Fleur held a silver cross. Cara clutched a smiley-face nightlight.

"I told you to bring a religious symbol." hissed George.

"I don't subscribe to organized religion. This has always kept monsters away when I was a little girl. I believe in it!" hissed Cara back.

No one was out front.

They made their way into the back corridors, through the aspiration room, and down to where George remembered being held prisoner. It was odd that they had come so far unchallenged.

"All we have to do is make it to Kate or Amanda with you two, and we are home free."

They arrived at the door. George undid the heavy bolt and opened it, heading inside followed closely by Fleur and Annie. Cara stood lookout by the door.

Amanda looked bad, and had numerous wounds from being bled. Kate was very pale and unconscious.

"Bollocks." Said George. He went to check on Kate's vital signs, when Amanda slapped his hand away.

"Don't you think you've done enough damage?" she asked nastily.

Such a statement would have undone him a while back. Not now, though.

George looked at Amanda evenly, his clear blue eyes locking with her dark ones. She looked away first.

"I'm sorry. That was very wrong of me. Penny would have my head if she heard that. This just brings back too many memories. We all nearly died because of Penny's fiancé before. My own son."

"It's good to see that you remember me Mother." Said a new voice.

They turned to see a youngish vamp in rather old fashioned clothing standing in the door. Cara giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Gedrick! I thought you'd never get here." Cara tossed away her nightlight.

Her eyes scorched black, and she revealed her lovely new vampire fangs.

"What luck you picked on me to help you out. I managed to warn Herrick that you all were coming. And now you are our prisoners. With no Maiden, there will be no witchcraft!"

"You're type always comes to a bad end in these stories. Don't you know that yet?" asked Annie. Cara just stuck her tongue out at Annie.

Amanda was staring unbelieving at her son.

"Gedrick! I thought you were dead!"

"I was, after a fashion. Undead. All you had to do was hang, and I could have married Rebecca and inherited my father's estate. She was the one who turned me. But you had to go and become a witch…, well more of one than you already were."

"I think you ought to leave now. Sons should never talk to their mothers like that. It's disrespectful." said George, rising to his feet and staring the vampire down.

Gedrick laughed, showing his fangs.

"A talking dog. Will wonders never cease. Very attached to your own mother, were you? And what do you call something that whelps little doggies? A bitch?"

George launched himself at Gedrick, who easily countered George's attack and with a few well-placed punches left him curled up on the floor out cold. The moon was of no help to George, it was far closer to new than full and the dormant wolf inside him barely stirred from its dreams of blood and rage to acknowledge its host's agony.

Gedrick laughed at the lot of them before leaving by the door once again, preceded by Cara. When he was all the way out but for one hand, Annie slammed the door with a mild twist of her head, and his shriek made her smile smugly.

Amanda nodded approvingly at her.

Annie knelt down before Kate.

"Kate needs a doctor badly." Annie said.

"Kate needs her power back. Kate needs a Mother and a Maiden. I'm of no help. I'm a Crone as well now, and Penny is no good to anyone for another nine months, that is, if George managed to do his job properly."

"You think George got her knocked up already? They might need a few more tries." Said Annie.

Amanda shook her head.

"If he had seed to plant, there'll be a harvest, don't you worry. Hecate is not a time waster." Amanda said confidently.

"Does George know this?" asked Annie in a high pitched voice.

"Men get told what's good for them to know. Do you think he would have allowed Penny to be here if he knew?"

Annie shook her head and went to check on George. He eventually woke up, groaning in pain.

His nose looked to be broken, and he had blood trickling from both nose and mouth. He would have two shiners tomorrow, if they lived that long.

"Where's the Hecate amulet?" asked Amanda.

"George insisted Penny take it until she gets her magic back. It would be no good here, no vampires to kill."

"And do you think we can make things with only one purpose? There was a reason she wanted him to wear it. But that's out of the question now. Can you get that door open?"

Annie shook her head.

"With you, George and Kate in your present conditions, its best that door stay shut."

"What do we do now?" asked Fleur, exasperated.

Annie and Amanda had no answer for her.

Nina, Penny and Mitchell were following a long stone corridor that seemed to be going nowhere.

"You are aware that you're pregnant, aren't you?" asked Nina.

Penny took it in stride, while Mitchell flinched, but left the women to their conversation.

"And you know this, how? Ahh, the werewolf sense of smell."

"Right in one. George has no idea what a pregnant woman smells like or he would know too…and you wouldn't be here. A relationship based on a lie can't work, even with George. You need to tell him as soon as possible." Nina advised.

Penny wanted to get angry, but knew deep down that the advice was not only true, but well-meant.

"I'll tell him. Right after."

Nina sniffed sharply.

"Trouble!"

"How right you are, miss!" Herrick said, stepping around a nearby corner.

Two more vamps followed him.

"Come with us, please."

Mitchell was grabbed by three more vamps that had snuck up from behind.

Five minutes later, they were tossed summarily into the prison cell with the rest of the gang.

Herrick addressed the lot of them.

"In about twenty minutes, the rest of the vampires will return, and all of you can say goodbye to every drop of blood in your bodies. And anyone seen waving an anti-vampire amulet around their neck will be shot." Herrick pulled out his police-issue revolver.

Mitchell faced Herrick.

"At least let Penny go. She's pregnant, Herrick. Even you couldn't be that much of a monster."

George squeaked in shock.

Herrick's eyes lit up.

"Congratulations! When would the puppies have been due?"

"Oh, you bastard!" screamed George in a voice they had never heard before.

Herrick laughed and slammed the door before George got to him. George pounded his fists until they were bleeding, then slid to the floor.

"Well, that's it then. Twenty minutes and counting before we are the main course at a vampire all-you-can-drink banquet." Said Kate blearily, sitting up with help from Amanda. "Not that they will get much from me."

"Penny, give your amulet to George. You know what he has to do." Said Amanda severely.

George turned his head to look at Penny.

"What does she mean?" he asked. His voice was like stone.

Penny wrung her hands.

"This was my backup plan, in case everything else failed. Hecate is the Goddess of the Moon, George. Only Hecate witches, out of any group of magic-users, have the power to cure a werewolf. We can do something else as well. The amulet derives its power from the moon, regardless of what phase it is in. If you wear it and call on Hecate, she may give you the power to change right now. But it's very dangerous. You will have to prove yourself worthy, or you could turn on all of us."

George looked stricken.

"I can't risk it. Especially not now."

Penny put her hand on George's arm.

"If you don't, we die anyway. I would rather die under your teeth then theirs. There is also the chance you would take them all with you, and survive the night."

"But I wouldn't want to live if I did anything to hurt you… any of you. I would kill myself." George had his face in his hands, overcome with the horror of a single second of life burdened with the terrible knowledge and guilt of what he had done.

"I would await you in Hecate's Garden with open arms. As would our child." Penny stated resolutely.

"What say the rest of you? This is your risk more than mine." George asked.

Everyone nodded their agreement.

"What is Hecate's Garden? Is that what's on the other side of the death door?" asked Annie.

Penny smirked.

"Not bloody likely. Hecate gathers souls faithful to her to a Paradise beyond imagining. The doors to the Gatekeepers are a different matter entirely."

Annie considered this silently.

Voices were heard outside the door. Voices raised in laughter.

Penny put the amulet around George's neck.

"Quickly. Pledge yourself to Hecate and beg for her help!"

George yanked off his Star of David for what he knew would be the last time. He laid it gently on the floor, then considered the amulet, designed to resemble the moon in its full and crescent phases.

"Hecate. I beg you to help me save the lives of my wife, my child, and my friends."

A flash of light filled the room.


	7. Chapter 7

George was somewhere else. A lush green forest surrounded a clearing, in which several enormous dolmen arches stood. There were more stars in the night sky than George had ever seen before. The moon was terrible and enormous, it hung bloated and white in space. Two similarly oversized crescent moons bracketed it on either side. The symbol of the Triple Goddess, Hecate.

George took a step forward, and at the feel of the cool wet dewy grass beneath his feet, he looked down to realize he was stark naked.

"Bloody-" he murmured.

He heard a stream nearby, babbling excitedly beyond a clump of trees (no trees like that on earth, that was for sure. The leaves were pinkish white with traces of green. He moved past the trees to see the stream. It was wide, and on the far side crouched a huge man-like wolf licking tentatively at the water and shaking its head. The wolf saw him, and howled once, a lonely piercing cry that seemed to echo through the night.

Then it bared its fangs and began growling at him.

George was afflicted with a terrible thirst. Kneeling at the bank, he put his hands into the water, and yanked them back out again. The water was icy cold. He drank some of it, and though it quenched his thirst, he felt a sharp stab of brain-freeze like when one eats too much ice cream too quickly.

"You are the beloved of my Daughter." Said a voice. The voice was terrifying in its power, and undeniably Female. It seemed to be made of several voices, one strident, one mocking, one a sibilant hiss.

The voice laughed a laugh almost as cold as the stream.

"What do you want here, Moon-Cursed?" it asked.

"I need the wolf to come out. My friends are in danger." Said George, his teeth chattering from the coldness of the water, which never left his mouth.

"Your wolf is just there. Go and claim him!" mocked the Goddess.

"I c-c-can't. It's too cold in that stream." Said George. The very thought made him want to scream.

"The stream represents the Division of your natures. Whoever can cross the boundary can gain control of the other. The wolf will not cross the stream to claim _you_, because it is just a beast. Beasts know nothing of enduring pain to achieve their goal. Up until now, this has held true for you as well. Are you a beast? Or are you a Man? If Man you are, then endure the pain and cross. Be warned, if you reach the halfway mark and fail, then the Beast will claim _you_. And your friends will die as it emerges from within you to ravage them. Or, do not try. Let the stalemate continue, and I will send you back to find your fate. Choose now. Time will not pass for your friends until this matter is resolved."

"I will try." Said George aloud.

He put one foot in the stream and screamed as bone cracking cold engulfed his foot and seemed to travel up his leg.

"One step nearer!" exhorted the voice.

George put his other foot ahead of the first. He thought the agony could not be greater. He was wrong.

"One step nearer!" it came again.

George had no idea what the bottom of the stream was made of, as both his feet were numb. He had the feeling he was on wooden stilts rather than standing on his own legs. He sent the mental signals for his leg to move, and to his surprise, it did though he didn't feel it. This brought the level of the water up to his groin.

The night echoed with his screams.

Tears were pouring down his face. How had he ever thought his transformation was painful? That was a ride at EuroDisney compared to this.

One more step would put him past the halfway mark. Past the point of no return. The water would be up to the level of his heart. If he made that step, and then retreated, it would mean the doom of all.

"One step nearer!" came the voice again.

George retreated back to his own side of the bank. Amazingly, the water seemed to get warmer, and when he stood once again on dry land, he felt the numbness retreat.

The voice when it spoke again, was kind. George thought it would have been mocking.

"The wise know when to give up a futile battle. In all the centuries, Man has never been able to conquer the Beast within him. There is no shame. None have ever passed this test. Return to the clearing, and I will send you back. Perhaps you can think of another plan in the five minutes you all would have left. If not, I will welcome you all to my Garden."

George retreated away from the bank about ten steps. Just past the tree was the clearing, and a glowing arch that was his way home.

"You know, no one has ever passed a test like this playing by the rules."

The voice of the Goddess barely had time to utter an enraged squawk before George turned and ran back toward the stream, legs pumping, arms swinging wildly. At the last second, he leapt. He barely had time to register the seemingly astonished look on the face of the man-wolf before he plunged into the stream just past the halfway point. Without thought, George plunged through the soul-destroying cold water, now submerged completely. He drove himself forward ruthlessly, moving through the water with all the feeling of a statue. The cold began to slow his movements.

"I'm not going to make it." He thought.

He kept going.

Finally, his head broke the surface, then he was waist deep, then ankle deep. He stepped onto dry land.

The wolf stood before him.

George moved toward it, and it took a step back.

"I claim you as mine." George said, and grabbed one of the wolf's heavily clawed paws.

It came to him and embraced him, and George had a few seconds to marvel at the feeling of the heavy fur on his bare skin. Then it was gone.

In the night sky, the crescent moons moved inward to embrace the whole, exactly resembling the amulet he wore back on Earth.

"It would appear my Daughter has chosen well." Said the voice. Its three aspects were blending together now into a whole. At the end, the voice sounded like his own mother's, though far kinder than she had ever been.

"You've done well, my Son."

The world spun around him briefly.

George came to, and stood up. The others watched him warily.

"Penny, please put this back on." George handed her the amulet.

"George, they'll shoot us if we try to use that against them!" said Amanda.

"We won't need it." He said.

The door opened, and Herrick and Gedrick came in. There were a crowd of scorched eyes and glistening fangs in the dark hall outside.

"The guests are here. Which one of you would like to start the feast?" asked Herrick.

George smiled at him.

"I volunteer."

Herrick made a sneer of distaste.

"Thanks, I'll pass. I'm not due for my jabs for another six months."

"Oh, no." said George, pulling off his shirt. "That is not what I meant at all."

"Oh, what bloody nonsense!" Gedrick snarled.

He swung a punch at George that should have left him counting sheep, but George caught it easily in his own hand. A hand that was suddenly sprouting very sharp claws.

George's mouth was positively crowded with sharp fangs. And before his face had even finished pushing outward, he had yanked Gedrick forward and tore an enormous chunk of his throat out. George swallowed the lump of flesh whole and licked his lips hideously.

"Now that," said Mitchell, "is how you bite someone on the neck!"

George's eyes, the venom green of the wolf, came to rest on Herrick. Gedrick was tossed aside like a ragdoll, and George lunged at him. Herrick was not able to get the door shut in time, and George slammed it into the wall on his way out, breaking the heavy iron hinges like tin foil, his body still in the throes of transformation; the clothes shredding off his body.

The screams of vampires came back to the former prisoners. Despite how richly the vamps deserved what they were getting, the group couldn't help but shudder in horror.

"I swear, you'd never know it looking at him…" said Fleur.

Nina and Penny both sighed.

"That's our George." They said together.

They made their way out of the room to the aspiration chamber, Mitchell carrying Kate in his arms.

"After all that, we didn't need the big weapon we'd prepared beforehand!" said Penny.

"Who knew we were going to get locked up in a room without those things on the ceil–" Nina suddenly stopped talking. Cara had sprung up from behind the large table and had Nina in a choke hold.

"Damn! Another doggie! Oh well, I don't need to drink from you to enjoy killing you!" growled Cara.

"Hey! Let her go, or else!" shouted Penny. She had pulled her lighter out of her pocket.

"Or else what? You're going to light me a cigarette?" asked Cara.

"No. I'm going to do this!" Penny held the lighter up to one of the sprinkler nozzles in the ceiling. Cara looked up just in time to get a faceful of water. Water that earlier that day had been blessed right in the tank by Pastor Mark, and had a hundred Host wafers dissolved in it.

Cara screamed as she seemed to melt, the flesh falling of her bones as if she'd been par-boiled. Mitchell had ducked back to the prison cell as soon as he saw the lighter. The cell did not have any nozzles in it, so they had been unable to implement their weapon. This worked out just as well, however.

When the water stopped, Mitchell returned, along with George who was in human form once more, stark naked and streaked in blood. He grabbed a sterile linen sheet from a nearby drawer and wrapped it around himself for modesty. Fleur had to tear her eyes away, as did the other women. Mitchell shook his head. He would never understand women.

"I couldn't find Herrick-" George was able to get out before a voice came in over the loudspeakers set into the ceiling.

"Once again, you all have failed to outwit me. You forget, that as long as I live, I can still make new armies, very quickly. You force me to destroy my headquarters to be rid of the lot of you, but this is a small price to pay. The charges I had set here long ago have been programmed to go off in one minute's time."

The sounds of metal shutters slamming down began to echo from all over the building.

"You will never get out in time. Have a nice day." The speakers cut off.

The group all looked at each other.

"Fleur, we've got to take a chance. Its you and me. Make the pledge to Kate and Hecate before its too late. If I'm rejected, then it won't matter anyway!" said Annie.

Fleur and Annie grabbed one each of Kate's hands, and made the pledge.

The lightning struck, and an instant later, the three women found themselves in Hecate's robes. Annie wearing white, and Fleur the red. Kate was on her feet looking in the peak of health, in black. She was furious.

"Thank you girls. Now, let's go crack that ginger nut!" The three women hurled a bolt of force at the nearest wall, blowing through the cinderblock and revealing the outside. The gang ran through the hole, getting as far away from the doomed structure as fast as they could.

Kate looked at Annie and Fleur.

"You two are naturals!" she said admiringly.

The funeral parlor exploded, and everyone flinched but were otherwise unharmed.

Mitchell was just emerging from a nearby store where he had quickly purchased a broom, a mop and a Hoover.

"That's mine!" said Kate, snatching the broom.

Fleur took the mop, and Annie with a grimace of distaste, took the Hoover.

Mounting their cleaning implements, the witches, old and new, took to the sky to hunt down their prey.

Penny looked after them wistfully, Amanda with longing, Nina with amazement.

Mitchell clapped George on the shoulder.

"Let's leave them to it. I want to go home."

Half an hour later, the gang arrived back at the pink walled flat and waited for the coven to return.

When they did, Penny excitedly asked what happened to Herrick.

Kate spoke up first.

"I did the very worst thing I could think of. I made turned him mortal again."

Fleur spoke up next.

"I cursed him to be immune to vampire blood. He can never be converted again."

Annie jumped up and down, clapping her hands.

"I gave him piles!"

Mitchell goggled at her, then laughed until he thought his sides would split open.

Epilogue

Following the birth of Rupert Mitchell Sands, Penny rejoined Amanda and a rather young girl named Molly they'd happened upon (she showed an incredible knack for magic, and was wicked smart) in a new coven. They kept in touch with Kate, Fleur and Annie who had opened a new restaurant in London, where Bernie was promptly appointed a busboy. He did not like this one bit, but with his newly empowered mother he was at a severe disadvantage. Annie found relief from her anxieties about her door and whether or not she should cross over. She never had to worry about the men with sticks and rope again. Apparently, when she became a witch, she was as near as she could tell _alive_ again. It appeared Hecate could bend her own rules when she wanted to.

In return for her help, Kate cured Nina's lycanthropy, and both Nina and Mitchell elected to remain in Bristol and work at the restaurant. Nina did the books, dusting off her old accounting skills she'd given up when she became a nurse. Mitchell waited tables, and so had no loss of female companionship when he wanted it. His tips were excellent.

George and Penny raised Rupert together, and they argued a great deal about what his future life would be like. This lasted until he became a werewolf just after puberty at which point he ran away and joined a rock band called the LupineLovers and did live transformations on stage. The music sucked, but people loved the effect and so the concerts were always sold out.

George would not let anyone take over for him in the kitchen, as he found cooking to be his greatest joy in life.

As for Herrick, he was fired from being a PC and only just managed to get Smithers from Human Resources at the hospital to hire him on as a porter since they were down a few too many. The pay was lousy, but the free medical treatment for his relentless piles more than made up for it. Annie, never one to hold a grudge for long, eventually took away the piles, but this did not stop Herrick from becoming a little lonely bitter old man.

When he finally died, his funeral was attended by only one person.

After he was in the ground, Mitchell paid the gravedigger a five pound note to look the other way while he passed water on Herrick's coffin.

FIN


End file.
